The wait is nearly over, kids. Next Friday, April 13th, the mother of all Friday the 13th fan collectibles, Crystal Lake Memories, will be available for purchase on Amazon, iTunes and more in an expanded and updated eBook edition!

From the Press ReleaseSparkplug Press, a premier publisher of high quality non-fiction books on the horror genre, today announces the April 13th, 2012, release of first-ever eBook editions of Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, the definitive tome on the making of the most successful horror franchise in cinema history.

Upon its original release as a collectible hardcover edition in October 2005, Crystal Lake Memories was instantly hailed as one of the most lavish, comprehensive, and meticulously researched books ever created about a film series. The culmination of more than three years of tireless research, author Peter M. Bracke exhaustively conducted over 200 interviews with the cast and crew responsible for each of the 11 now-classic films in the original Friday the 13th franchise, from filmmaker Sean S. Cunningham’s seminal 1980 shocker through the 2003 blockbuster match-up Freddy vs. Jason. Alongside a narrative as full of shocks and surprises as the films themselves, Crystal Lake Memories also featured nearly six hundred rare and never-before-seen images that paint a graphically compelling picture of one of horror’s best loved titles.

Now, six years after the original publication of Crystal Lake Memories, Jason is ready to slash his way across your screen. Inspired by the extraordinary response to the print edition, Bracke has returned to the vaults to unearth additional material he was unable to incorporate into the original hardcover volume. He has also conducted fresh and updated interviews with key Friday the 13th alumni, including many who have agreed to break their silence for the first time. Bigger and bloodier than ever, Crystal Lake Memories is fully revised and expanded and, says the author, the most complete and comprehensive version possible.

“Over the past six years since the original release of Crystal Lake Memories, it’s been a joy to hear from so many fans of the series around the world with their appreciation for the book and the series it celebrates,” says Bracke. “Though the hardcover version remains available and stands as a complete and cohesive work, there were many fascinating and intriguing stories that fell victim to Jason’s merciless editorial blade—even a large-format book comes with size limitations. So it’s been a great pleasure to not only revisit the original content but also present it in a modern way.”

Crystal Lake Memories will receive a simultaneous release in both Standard and Enhanced electronic editions, and each will be made available at a new affordable low price. This makes Bracke’s compelling narrative accessible to a whole new community of Friday enthusiasts. “The book market has seen radical changes over the past few years with electronic books now a viable and increasingly popular format for many readers. The consumer has spoken, and they want to take their favorite books with them wherever they go, whether it’s on their laptop, tablet, or smartphone—something that wasn’t possible with a five-pound hardcover edition!” laughs Bracke, adding, “It’s particularly gratifying that, in these tough economic times, the book is now more affordable than was ever possible in print.”

Consumers who opt for the Standard Electronic Edition will enjoy the fully revised and expanded text, including all newly-added cast and crew interviews, an updated introduction and appendices, and a Foreword by series creator Sean S. Cunningham. The Enhanced Edition (available for Apple iBooks 2, Kindle Fire, and Nook Color platforms only) expands upon the text content, adding hundreds of images—many never seen before—including stills, storyboards, concept art, and publicity and marketing materials. The iBooks 2 release also includes additional interactive image elements and bonus video interviews with Friday the 13th cast and crew. Utilizing the cutting-edge technology of today’s best ebook readers, the Enhanced Edition of Crystal Lake Memories gives consumers the most comprehensive and interactive eBook experience available today.

The Friday the 13th Phenomenon

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Friday the 13th film franchise has proven to be as unstoppable at the box office as its machete-wielding villain. Chronicling the murderous exploits of Jason Voorhees, the iconic hockey-masked serial killer, Friday the
13th has become a true multimedia juggernaut: The series has spawned eleven installments of the “classic franchise” plus a recent 2009 remake that topped the worldwide box office, a hit syndicated television drama, a collection of popular young adult fiction novels, a smash video game, nearly a dozen top-selling DVDs, and an extensive line of licensed collectibles including magazines, posters, comic books, model kits, and even a lunchbox. Revenue figures are as staggering as they are relentless: over 95 million tickets sold and nearly $600 million in domestic box office receipts alone(1), seven million DVDs shipped(2), and over one hundred licensed products that have grossed over $150 million in sales(3). And the Michael Bay-produced reboot of the franchise, 2009’s Friday the 13th, made cinema history with a domestic gross of $40.6 million in its first three days, setting an opening weekend record for a horror remake.